Noone Lives Forever
by JewDrop91
Summary: A young friend of Beckett sets her straight about life and reminds her...No-one Lives Forever!


**A/N: In this story, can you just imagine for me, that Beckett formed a bond with a child while she was cooped up in hospital and that he now visits her (and therefore the gang) at the Precinct. Hope you enjoy, much love =]**

The first thing that 11 year old Christopher noticed when he stepped off the elevator and onto the Homicide floor, were the raised voices coming from the break room. Within seconds the door flew open and Detective Beckett strode out, dropping into her chair, picking up the pen and writing furiously on the paper in front of her. This didn't faze Chris though and he greeted her in the same teasing way he usually did.

"You still haven't got with Mr Castle then?"

Kate had been so riled up that she hadn't noticed the small figure amble across the bullpen and seat himself in Castle's chair. The sudden voice made her jump. When she saw who it was, she wrapped him in a hug and placed a kiss to his cheek then ruffled his hair. It had become a kind of ritual and although Christopher pretended to moan about it, he did enjoy the attention that he didn't quite get as an orphan.

"Hey Christopher and um, no I haven't. We were just discussing that actually." She told him with a slight frown.

"Oh I don't think it was just Mr Castle you were telling. I could hear you from the elevator. So don't feed me that rubbish. Where is he anyway?" his eyes scanned the room but found nothing.

Kate nodded her head in the direction of the break room. "Still in there I think."

"Then I will leave you to your report. Come in when you're done?" It was a question and a demand all in one.

Kate found herself nodding.

Christopher gave a gentle shove to the door and it opened before him. Sitting on the couch with a defeated and slightly hurt look on his face, was Castle. When he saw who was standing at the door he came to life a bit more and Christopher came to the decision that the smile was somewhat genuine.

"Hey Rick." The boy smiled at him.

"Hey Chris, how you doing?"

"Not so bad. What's got you looking wounded? Well I know who, but what was she screaming about earlier?"

Castle chuckled. "She was that loud?" Christopher nodded. "Hmm, she was slightly riled I suppose." He paused to look at the boy who was by now, leaning into his side on the couch.

"After a few evenings spent together and getting closer and closer, I asked Kate to give us a chance to work things out together as a couple. To cut it short, she flew off the handle but without giving me a reason. Eventually she stormed out and I stayed here. I figured it would be for the best."

A while later found Christopher sitting on Castle's lap while they played Angry Birds on the iPhone and that's how Beckett found them when she entered the room. She stood observing them for a few moments. First Christopher and then she looked at Castle. He didn't look at hurt and wounded as he had earlier on when she'd stormed off and she felt a wave of guilt overcome her as she got the distinct feeling that it wasn't the first time she'd left him feeling like that.

Christopher spotted her watching and nodded to the space beside Castle indicating for her to sit with them. As she walked towards them he slid off Castle's lap and hoisted himself onto one of the high legged chairs so that he was facing them both, thus making it easier to talk to them.

"Is your strop over now Kate?" Christopher was quite blunt in his questions which was a surprise considering he was only 11.

"I was not having a strop thank you very much. I was trying to get a point across." she huffed.

"Yeah and we all heard you, loud and clear! So come on, what was this point you were trying to get across?"

"That taking the next step in what we have together scares me and not because I am scared of the actual thing, but the thought of going to work one day and not going home is something you shouldn't ever have to think about but I do, on a regular basis. What happens if we have children and you have to tell them that Mommy won't ever be coming home? I don't want to have to give you that responsibility. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone, much less you. I go to work every day knowing that my life is at risk so that I can protect the citizens of New York. I don't want that for you." By the time she is done talking, a couple of tears have rolled down her face and her hands are now intertwined with Castle's.

There is a few moments silence and then Christopher speaks.

"If there is anything that I have learnt in my short time on this earth Kate, it's that no-one on this entire planet is immortal. You know that too. We've suffered the same trauma. I know it must be difficult, but you cannot live everyday thinking like that. People die every single day and a good majority of them are not NYPD Detectives or Officers. They can be business people, street cleaners, the hotdog seller, the man who delivers your milk, the postman, your landlord. It can be anyone Kate. It could even be me or any other child out there. None of us are safe and as for you risking your life every day for all the citizens that maybe true, but Kate: one person turns up and risks his life every day. He leaves behind his daughter and mother on a daily basis to do that and he does it for you. No-one else Kate, just you and you alone. That's every day practically for nearly four years, surely by now Castle has earned the right to want to take whatever it is you have, further?"

Before anyone could say anything else, Ryan tapped on the door. "Hey bud, your guardian's here."

"Cheers Ryan." Christopher smiled then turned back to the couple on the couch. Then he got down off the chair and hugged them goodbye and walked to the door before turning and sliding his hands into his pockets. "You don't have to decide right now, but just think about it. You've been given another chance at life Kate, so you should know again that life is too short and none of us are immortal. Any one of us can leave this earth at any given time." With that Christopher was gone.

Little did they know that it would be the last time they, or anyone else saw him. One week later he was involved in a car accident and killed. As Kate put the phone down on Christopher's guardian the meeting with him the week before came flooding back and through the sadness, was relief and happiness. A relief that she'd let herself see past the dark cloud in her mind and allow herself to be happy with Castle.

Fin!

Sorry if you think it's a bit naff. It was just sort of, floating around inside the emptiness I call a brain and decided to type it up. I'll leave it to you lovely people to tell me what you really think of it!

~ Emma xox


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